


Artifact Run

by chordatesrock



Category: Jak and Daxter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, logically impossible alternate universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-06
Updated: 2014-04-06
Packaged: 2018-01-18 11:10:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1426315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chordatesrock/pseuds/chordatesrock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where Damas never lost his son, about ten years after the Daystar came and the world survived its trial, Mar goes on an artifact run.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Artifact Run

**Author's Note:**

> For genprompt bingo, cottoncandy bingo and au100 prompts desert, adventure and storm.

A brown scarf was drawn over Mar’s face and goggles pulled down over his eyes as he drove through the dark desert. The wind was picking up, and soon it would be too late for anyone caught outside the city… but this was the best time to find artifacts, and Mar’s first solo run. He was determined to bring in a good haul.

Something glinted in the sand and he braked suddenly, leaned out of the Sand Shark and grabbed a small, roundish artifact with strange engravings. He set it on the pile with the rest and floored it again, scanning for artifacts and marauders. Airborne sand scraped at his ears abrasively, but he ignored it. Someone called his communicator.

“Attention all wastelanders,” proclaimed his father. “Spargus will close its gate in two minutes.”

Mar headed further into the wasteland, turning a little to his right to go wide of several marauder vehicles heading back to their stronghold. He stopped by a cactus where he thought he saw an artifact, but it was a trick of the light and the shifting sand. He pushed the Sand Shark for all it was worth, determined to find at least one more artifact before he returned to the city. He glanced back to make sure he could still see the fire burning atop the palace’s great tower; visibility was getting worse.

He stopped for another artifact, his fifth. Jayde had gone for her first run a couple of weeks back and brought back six, and there was no way Mar would let himself lose to her.

“Attention all wastelanders. Spargus will close its gate in one minute.”

He glanced back again, and realized he could barely see the flames of Spargus. If he didn’t turn back now, he would never make it. He spun the wheel as far as it went and made a tight turn. Wind whipped his hair and sand glanced off the metal rims of his goggles as he sped for home. As long as he just kept going, he’d make it.

A marauder pulled level with him and knocked into his vehicle from the side, forcing him off course. He swerved to the left to avoid the marauder’s spiked hubcaps and found himself being corralled away from Spargus. Fear chilled him and for the first time, he started to doubt that he’d make it back alive. He pressed the button for the turbo and shot away from the marauder and even further off course, then swerved back to the right, back toward Spargus.

“Attention all wastelanders,” said his father over the comm. “Spargus will close its gate in thirty seconds. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight.”

The sky was dark now and the fire lighting his way seemed to flicker. The marauder gave chase as he fled toward the city.

“…Twenty-four. Twenty-three…”

The flames grew brighter. Something smacked into his right goggle lens and cracked the glass; he shut that eye and kept going. The gate came in sight, but it was still so far away…

“…Ten. Nine. Eight…”

He used his last turbo and blasted half the distance.

“…Five. Four.”

His fingers tightened around the wheel.

“Three.”

He held up his pass and the gate began to open.

“Two. One.”

The gate stalled, then began to shut. He shot through and skidded to a stop inside just as it closed, laughing for joy that he was still alive.


End file.
